Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I thank Ms MacEvilly for the presentation. My first question is on energy prices, which have been a big political issue. We know that they have quadrupled in recent months. Can the CRU explain why the prices are so much higher than the EU average? I have some figures. In 2019, for example, the price of gas to the household was 12% above the EU average and the price of electricity was 11% above the EU average. In 2021, the prices of both were 18% above the EU average. Is it related to the high level of profits that the providers accrued during the same period? The operating profit of €206 million for ESB Networks was up by €74 million on the same period last year. The operating profits of SSE Airtricity were up from €20.4 million by €16.4 million for the first six months. Energia grew its profits by 45% to €28.8 million from €19.2 million in the previous year. Huntstown Power Company, which operates one of the two plants at the site, trebled its profits to €15.4 million. Can Ms MacEvilly explain how that happens and if those two things are connected?

Earlier, we briefly discussed the energy review that has been promised by the State. Has CRU a role in that and, if so, what is its role? What is the position with that energy review?

The next question is on data centres. In Ms MacEvilly's presentation regarding data centres, she said that they need to take practical measures if their applications are to go ahead. What exactly are those practical measures? Is it, for example, to have a power purchasing agreement with a wind farm or the capacity to use its own gas fired generator? How many connections has EirGrid made to data centres over the recent period and how many will it make over the next year? We are still not clear about what is going to happen in terms of the proliferation of data centres. Perhaps Ms MacEvilly will answer those questions.